Five Takes On The Five Stripes

1: The whole match was very similar to the match against Orlando. We looked very hesitant in the final third. We weren’t quick enough on the ball. We’re missing a leader, a driving force that holds everyone accountable and can at times, put the team on his back. Just someone who puts in the work and makes everyone else work that much harder.

2: Brooks Lennon was MOTM for me with an honorable mention to Anton Walkes. He was everywhere. Right back, left back, Center mid, Christ at one point I swear I saw him run up to the VAR booth and run that for a minute. He was doing everything he could to provide that spark and be that leader with his work rate but it’s not enough for us. All fairness to him, he wasn’t meant to be that guy. If we can ever get going and if he can get linked up with Torres or Jahn, I think he can be every bit as effective as Gressel. Certainly so when Josef gets back.

3: Look if all these changes are going to happen, At least they’re happening in a year like this. I don’t think anyone is going to look back and really remember this year for it’s quality of play. I’m not trying to downplay anything and there’s definitely an argument to be made about this season actually being tougher to win it all, but for me this is an *. It’s an anomaly. Hopefully 2021 comes around and we have our roster and coaching staff sorted out and oh yeah, have Josef back. This team is built around him.

4: There was no build up of play in the first half. I think I can count the number of chances we created on one hand, even if that hand was in a horrible accident and only had three fingers. We had one half chance that Escobar couldn’t get on the end of. Then there was a ball that pinged around the box in the second half. The best chance of the entire match was with Cubo from a beautiful cross for Lennon but he Pity’d it. It felt like we were just running passing drills for most of the match. We didn’t create. It’s unexpected with news of Pity today.

5: Part of me just wants to call this season done. The problems we have are going to linger, to a degree at least, for the remainder of the season. Especially now with Pity gone and what’s sure to be another DP coming in, it just feels like there’s literally not enough time to get things to gel and sync up. I worry about what the frustration and lack of success is going to do to the morale and desire of the players. Maybe the plan is to just make the playoffs and then hit our stride?